Frank



(No Model.)

F. 0. BROWN.

TUNNELING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 27, 1886.

Elm-340,759.

WITNESSES:\

v ATTORNEYS.

NITED STATES PATENT Grrlcn.

FRANK 0. BROWN, OF NEW YORK, N. vY.

TUNNELlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,759, dated Apr-i127, 1886.

Application filed January 15, 1886. Serial No. 189,766.

Zfo aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK 0. BROWN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in tional end elevation of thesame,taken through manner that they can be readily forced forward through the ground, and will allow the brickwork to be readily laid.

The-invention consists in the constructio and combination of various parts of the ma chine, as will be hereinafter fully described.

A represents the shell or casing of the machine, which is made of plate-iron bolted together and of cylindrical or other desired shape. The shell A is made with its forward end inclined or beveled, and is arranged with its longest side upward, as shown in Fig. 1.

To the shell A, at a little distance from the forward end of its shortest side, is secured airtight a transverse partition, B.

Through the center. and side parts of the partition B are formed a number of man-holes, O, which are closed air tight when not in use by plates 1).

Through one of the man-holes G is passed a conveyer-tube, E, within which is placed a shaft, F, provided with a spiral flange, G, and which projects a little beyond the forward end of the tube E and to, nearly to, or a little beyond, the forward edge of the shell A.

In the lower side of the rear part of the tube E and in the rear of thepartition B is formed an opening, H, through which the earth carried back by the conveyor is discharged, and is then carried out through the completed part of the tunnel.

To the rear end of the conveyershaft F is attached a gear-wheel, I, of a driving mechanism, and motion is designed to be given to the said shaft from a steam-engine.

J is a steam-pipe,which passes through the (No model.)

partition B, and its rear end is connected with the boiler of the engine or other stean1-generator.

WVithin the rear part of the shell A is placed a short shell, K, of the same form as the said shell A, and arranged concentric therewith. The interior shell, K, is connected with the exterior shell, A, and is supported in position by brackets L, attached to the shell A and to the forward part of the shell K. The shell K is made so much smaller than the shell A as to leave a space between the said shells to receive the brick-work to form the wall of the tunnel.

If desired, the lower part of the interior shell can be omitted.

When the shell A is to be moved forward, the pipe E is withdrawn, and the cover of the man-hole through which it passed is closed.

The steam-pipe J should be provided with a valve, and one of the man-hole covers or some part of the partition B should be provided with a valve opening outward, through which air escapes when the valve in the steampipe J is opened. \Vhen steam begins to come out of the air-discharge valve in the valve the steam-pipe J is closed, and as thesteam condenses the shell A is forced forward by atmospheric pressure. The pipe Eis then inserted,and the removal of the soil is resumed.

If desired,the forward movement of the machine can be assisted by compressed air confined in the rear of and allowed to press against the partition B.

In case the ground in front of the machine be too hard to be loosened and carried out by the conveyer, the upper part of the conveyertube can be made open, so that men can loosen the ground with picks and shovel it into the said tube, when it will be carried out by the conveyer and discharged from the said tube, in the manner hereinbefore described.

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the shell A, made of the shape and size of the required tunnel, and provided with an air-tight cross-partition,.B, having man-holes 0, closed by plates D, of the tube E, the flanged shaftF G,a driving mechanism and a steam-pipe, J, substantially as herein shown and described, whereexterior shell, as set forth.

by the earth is removed in front of the machine and the machine is forced forward by air-pressure, as set forth.

2. Inatunneling-machine, the combination, with the exterior shell, A, having cross-par- 3. The combination, with the shell A, beveled at its forward end, and provided with an air-tight cross-partition, B, having manholes, I 5 of the interior shell, K, and the supportingbrackets L, substantially as herein shown and tition B, and provided with a conveyer, E F described.

G, of the interior shell, K, and the supportingbrackets L, connecting it with the said FRANK O. BROWVN. exterior shell, A, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the wall of the tun- Witnesses:

nel can be laid within the rear part of the said JAMES T. GRAHAM, EDGAR TATE. 

